The following is a statement from a group of students currently based in Goldsmiths Library.

The day after the Coalition Government passed its policy on Tuition Fees, and at a crucial time for many students, the Goldsmiths Senior Management Team (SMT) took the decision to close the Library over the weekend. An email was sent communicating this decision to all students on Friday 10 December.

Before the Library closed at 5pm on Friday, a group of students made the decision to remain in the library, demanding that the SMT agree to open the Library with full lending services over the weekend.

This decision to remain in the Library was motivated by the following:

It should be a central priority for SMT to keep the Library open.

The SMT has failed to give a clear account of its reasons for closing the Library.

We believe that SMT is punishing students for the occupation earlier this week.

The SMT has cited cleaning, stock-checking and health and safety as the reasons the Library has been closed. In light of the seemingly smooth running of the Library services on Friday, students have disputed that these factors amount to a sufficient reason for the Library to be closed for a continuous period of 64 hours. We believe the Library can be opened and run effectively. Any necessary maintenance can occur without closure.

Students have raised their concerns with the SMT directly, and requested further information, but the SMT has not responded as yet.

The social area on the ground floor of the Library is currently open for student use, although the doors to the rest of the building have been locked by staff acting under management orders. While we remain in the building, all students are welcome to use the space available to study, to use the IT facilities, and to build pressure on the SMT to open the Library with full lending services over the weekend.

Any communication from the SMT will be passed on to students as it is received.